Forces Kill, Detain Insurgents in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2011 - Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents yesterday in the Reg-e Khan district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, military officials reported.

Troops spotted several insurgents setting up an enemy fighter position and requested close-air support to disrupt their activities.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- Security forces killed one insurgent and detained several other suspects while searching for a senior Taliban leader in Sar-e Pul province's Sayyad Valley district. The Taliban leader is linked to trafficking foreign fighters and training suicide bombers in camps in northern Afghanistan.

-- In Zabul province's Qalat district, troops detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader associated with weapons trafficking and foreign fighter camps. The Taliban leader is suspected of giving financial and logistical support to insurgents.

-- Afghan and coalition troops in Khost province's Bak district captured a Haqqani network terrorist leader and two other insurgents suspected in bombing attacks in the area.

-- In Wardak province's Nerkh district, troops detained two suspected insurgents while targeting a Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin terrorist group leader responsible for at least 20 fighters in the area.

In operations March 16:

-- Security forces killed several armed insurgents and wounded another who ambushed their patrol in Kunar province's Shigal wa Sheltan district. Troops used close-air support to repel the attack.

-- Forces found several weapons and drug stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. They seized 6,600 pounds of hashish, 1,540 pounds of opium, eight land mines, an assault rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade, a rocket-propelled grenade booster, plastic explosives and assorted bomb-making materials.